Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, April 25th, 'S7.
The present is one of the dnllest
news seasons known in Washing
ton, and reporters have iu their des-
peration worked the canard of the
Presidents alleged too soon decli-
nation of second nomination for
all it is worth. 1t is now known
that the story has no basis in fact.
The President did not tell the
Western Senator, Vest, that he
would not accept a second nomina-
ton or anything Of that kind. lie
has frequently said IN a jOcular way
to Senators and Members who were
pursuing him with petitions for ap.
pointments "Well, l am quite
willing for you fellows to try this
business and manage it better if
you can. YOu shall have my sup
port and unique vote for the presi-
dency.n til well known that a
number of Democratic Members
and Senators are opposed to a sec.
ond term for Mr.. Cleveland and it
IS certain that Senator Vest was
expressing his own wishes rather
than the expressed determination
of Mr.. Cleveland when in a cOnviv-
ial frame of mind at an uptown res
taurant, he talked upon the subject
of a second term and sounded the
KEY note 10 what has swelled
through newspaper exaggeration
into a grand overture.
II is evident that the music did
not please Mr.. Cleveland, for he
fastened through his alter ego, Col
onel Lamont, to repudiate the
motif, and in doing this, he has
been betrayed into a maladrOit bid
tor a second nomination. No one
who has followed the history of the
present administration can be OF
other opinion than that Mr.. Cleye-
land is working with political
shrewdness for the Democratic and
Mugwum nomination OF 1888. That
he will get the Democratic nomina-
ton is possible, but it is very doubt
ful if he can hold on to the Mug
wump contingent. There are very
recent signs of detection among
his staunch and powerful support.
ers of the literary Mugwumpian
persuasion.
There is a renewal of talk of an
extra session, which it is now
thought will be called in October.
The surplus in the Treasury in
creases continuously at the rate of
$1O,OO0,OOO per month. 1t is real
lied that something must be done
to arrest this drain upon the circu-
lation of the country. The extra
session should have been called i'm
mediately after the fourth of March,
and it is urged by some that if the
country can endure the strain until
the first of October it can continue
two months longer until the time
of the regular session. But nearly
a month Will necessarily be taken
in the election of a speaker, the or
ganization of committees and the
other preliminaries to the real work
of Legislation. If Congress does
not assemble until the first Monday
in December the Christmas holi-
days will seriously interrupt the
first month of the session; two
months will intervene before Con-
gress can mature and pass needed
revenue legislation, and by this
time Congress and the country will
be so disturbed by the approaching
presidential campaign that politics
will stife craftsmanship and no
revenue bill will be passed.
There has not as yet been an ex-
odus from Washington. There is
great activity about the depart.
ments and in society. Many mem
bers and Senators are still here
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has, as was expected, attracted
to the city many visitors distin.
guished in commerce and politics.
Great preparations are being made
FOR the competitive drill which is to
take place the latter part of next
month.